The Committee
Responsibility for the management of the Club lies with the Full Committee, comprising up to 10 volunteer members who, since incorporation in 2021, have been directors of Hornet Services Sailing Club Limited. Members are appointed to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting, normally in April. The term-length is 3 years, renewable. Day-to-day management of the Club is delegated to the Executive Committee, a sub-committee of the Full Committee, comprising the Flag Officers and General Manager.
The Full Committee/Board of Directors comprises:
FLAG OFFICERS
Commodore: Mike Shrives
Mike has sailed under the Royal Naval Sailing Association (RNSA) burgee since 1978 and, of late, the Hornet Services Sailing Club burgee. He became a Honorary Member of the Club in 2007 on invitation from Andy Du Port when he became RNSA General Secretary. As RNSA Representative and later President of the Gosport Sea Cadets (TS Hornet) he sat on the Hornet Committee for 15 years. Mike is also a Warden of St Faiths and a Committee Member of the Royal Institute of Navigators Southern Branch. He is a naval member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and a longstanding member of the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association, the Association of Royal Naval Officers, and the Royal British Legion Droxford Branch and a volunteer mini-bus driver for the iCanGo Charity. On retirement in 2019 he purchased the Beneteau 305 URSUS from Richard Yeomans and became a full member.
The genesis of his lifelong love of sailing in all its forms began in 1963 (aged 9). David Llewellyn (later OiC JSASTC Hornet) taught him to sail his Sunfish dinghy while on exchange in Key West. He sailed Albacores at Truro School and a Firefly, Leader, and Flying Dutchman at Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club. In 1974 his enthusiasm for Offshore Sailing was ignited by an invitation to crew on GUNFLEET of HAMBLE (Class One) for Cowes Week. Joining the RN in 1975 he was issued with a Services Yacht Proficiency Certificate (DCI S40/74) and gained a Coastal Skipper qualification after a feisty Command Race to Guernsey in HMS Dolphins establishment yacht SHAH. Throughout his naval career he accepted opportunities to sai which included the 1983 Sydney-Hobart Race in the maxi BUCCANEER and1988 Whitbread Round the World Race in the maxi BRITISH DEFENDER.
Mike had a varied and full Naval career joining as a Seaman Officer. He qualified as a Ships Diving Officer before being pressed into submarines where he served in conventional and nuclear boats. Transferring to flying duties he qualified as a helicopter pilot flying Sea Kings including serving in HMS INVINCIBLE during the Falklands Conflict. On cessation of hostilities he commanded one of the war prizes named the YEHUIN but known as the Black Pig. He then converted to fly the Lynx with appointments as Flight Commander in Gibraltar, HMS YORK and HMS EDINBURGH. Command of HMS CATTISTOCK (where he was awarded a Mention-in-Dispatches in the first Gulf War) was shortly followed by promotion. Throughout his time in the Royal Navy he held service sailing positions including BRNC College Yachts Officer and Rear Commodore Boardsailing (87-89), Secretary for the Associated Yacht Clubs of Weymouth (91-93), RN Offshore Captain (94-97), RNSA Rear Commodore Offshore (98-02), Chairman RNSA Air Branch (03-05) and Secretary of the Combined Services Yacht Clubs (03-05). He qualified as a RYA/DOT Yachtmaster Examiner and Instructor with Commercial endorsement / Dinghy Instructor / Windsurfing Level 3 and Power Boat & Safety Boat.
Mikes father was a Naval Officer who moved the family with each appointment. Sarah and Mike elected to follow suit. He was born in Redruth while his parents were at RNAS Culdrose and is now settled in Lee-on-the-Solent. As Commodore he will strive for all Hornet Services Sailing Club members and Staff to be united in heart and purpose.
E: Mike.shrives@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Vice Commodore: Paul Anderson
Paul joined the Club and became a berthholder in 2013. He joined the Committee and took on the role of Vice-Commodore in 2024. As Vice Commodore he deputises for the Commodore and has particular responsibility for Health & Safety.
Paul and his wife, Tania, live locally and both are fully involved in all aspects of Club life. Paul served for over 30 years in the Royal Air Force, joining as an airman and progressing through the ranks before commissioning into the Air Traffic Control Branch. Serving in a variety of UK locations and RAF Germany, it was only when based at Swanwick that he discovered an appetite for sailing on a unit expedition and completed his sailing qualification with the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre at Hornet. Whilst serving he was a keen advocate of sailing and introduced several novices to the activity. Having retired from the RAF in 2015 he now works for NATS as a project manager. Paul & Tania relish their time sailing on their yacht Moonfleet and they are looking forward to a time when sailing is dictated by tide and weather rather than time off work, which is hopefully not too far away!
E: paul.anderson@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Rear Commodore (Finance): Nick Walker
Nick joined the Club and became a berthholder in 1986. He joined the Committee in 2021 in the role of Treasurer / Finance Director where he has oversight of the Club's finances and financial management.
Currently without a boat, Nick enjoys the convivial Services atmosphere of the Club and is keen to use the berthing facilities again just as soon as he retires and finds a little more time. Amongst his notable sailing achievements Nick lists getting stranded on Hamilton Bank! Nick joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer Apprentice in 1977 and made CPO in 1984, having trained at Fisgard, Caledonia, Collingwood and Sultan. He served in the old HMS Bulwark, HMS Hermes in the Falklands conflict in 1982, and HMS Intrepid. After leaving the Navy in 1987, he studied Accountancy and qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant. Nick worked in senior financial and general management positions in industry both before and after qualifying. He has been Finance and IT Director at Covers Timber and Builders Merchants since 2014. Nick is also a rock guitarist and musician of some repute who has entertained Members at the Club on more than one occasion. He is also a keen mountain biker.
E: nick.walker@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Rear Commodore (Marina): Steve Jones
Steve joined the Club in 2017 and became a berth-holder the same year. He joined the Committee in Nov 2022 and Rear Commodore (Marina) in Apr 24. As Rear Commodore (Marina) he has oversight of all boat-related activities in the Marina and FB3, including berth allocation.
Steve has owned a yacht with his wife Naomi for many years. Initially a 23' Hunter Duette which was moored at Tudor Sailing Club in Langstone Harbour, where he also raced a RS Vision dinghy and was active on various committees - Dinghy Captain, Mooring Secretary and Bosun. For the last 10 years he has owned and sailed a Sadler 29, Eureka. Steve joined the Army and was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1975 and served in a variety of roles in the UK and overseas. On leaving the Army in 1999 he worked in the military satellite industry for Astrium and Paradigm as a programme manager, delivering a number of welfare and operational communication projects which supported all three Services during the later stages of operations in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
E: berthing@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Rear Commodore (House) Tania Anderson
Tania joined Hornet and became a berth holder in 2011 after discovering her love for sailing during a JSASTC exped taster session. She then started sailing dinghies and racing her RS200 before purchasing her first yacht, an Offshore 8m One Life' which she enjoyed sailing with her children. After meeting and marrying Paul, they now regularly sail Moonfleet, their Sun Odyssey 35, from Hornet.
Tania served for 20 years in the Royal Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller, working at various airfields before being posted to the NATS Area Control Centre at Swanwick. She now works at NATS, managing projects on the NATS/MOD contract and brings extensive project management experience.
She joined the Committee in 2015 and, apart from a short break due to ill health last year, has served continuously. Tania is passionate about promoting Hornet and showcasing what makes it such a unique and special place, something that we can all be proud of and celebrate. As RC(H) you will regularly find her in the Club and organising and helping out with events.
E: tania.anderson@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Rear Commodore (Sailing) Lieutenant Commander Dan Murphy
Dan joined the Club as a berth-holder in 2024 before joining the Committee later that year. He is passionate about, and champions opportunities for Service Personnel from across the armed forces and their families, to get afloat, as well as being a keen racer and advocate for RNSA. Dan joins the committee following previous volunteer roles as Head of Adventurous Training for the Sea Cadets, and as a director for a youth activity provider, where his background is in Business Continuity and Organisational Resilience. Dan started sailing in Central London aged 12, campaigning Laser Radials at County and National youth regattas. He joined the Royal Navy at 16 and following 18 years below decks, commissioned from the ranks in 2017. He is currently the Assistant Head - Operations for the Royal Navy Police. Dan and his partner Lucy own Rapscallion, a Feeling 850 based at HSSC, and can often be found afloat with their young children.
E: dan.murphy@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Captain Alison Towler Royal Navy (Ret'd)
Alison joined the Club in 2000 as an Associate Member alongside her husband Perrin who remains the Berth-holder Member. She has been actively involved in both sailing and social activities throughout this long association with the Club and has been a proactive consultee and adviser at milestone events during its recent history. She joined the Committee in late 2024. She is committed to maintaining a thriving club, retaining its Service ethos and respecting its history while taking it forward in a manner sustainable in the long run.
Alison served 30 years in the WRNS and Royal Navy, initially as a Logistics Officer including at sea, and latterly as a Naval barrister. Her distinguished career culminated in appointment to the Service Prosecuting Authority based at RAF Northolt from where she retired in 2017. On retirement she became a Commissioner for Lymington Harbour where she served on the Health and Safety, Environment and Personnel committees, before in 2021 being elected as Chair. Alison is also President of the Association of Wrens and Women of the Royal Naval Services and undertakes other charitable roles including in Lymington Choral Society and St Thomas Church Lymington, singing being a favoured pastime.
Hailing from the north coast of Cornwall, Alison has spent her life on, in or beside the water. In 1993 she took up sailing a Hurley 20 bilge-keeler from Calstock in Cornwall (cruising the West Country), and during her naval career completed formal sailing (Coastal Skipper) and power boat training at JSASTC and Whale Island as well as several Challenge Yacht adventures. She has competed in Wednesday Evening Sailing at Hornet, and has crewed yachts and driven safety boats as a member of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club as well as serving on committees there. Also a member of the Bar Yacht Club, Alison prefers cruising, mainly on the south coast of England and across the Channel in Westerly Fulmar Spread Eagle.
E: alison.towler@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Mike Buggy
Born and brought-up by the sea in a boating family in Ireland, Mike joined the Royal Navy in the 1960s as an Electrical Engineering Officer. Mike starting sailing from Hornet in Service yachts in the late 1960s before becoming a berthholding member in 1972. Over the years Mike has had 7 boats at Hornet ranging from a 44ft Gaff Ketch to (as of 2026) a Moody 31.
Mike qualified as a Yachtmaster under the old (pre-RYA) DoT system in the 1970s eventually becoming a Yachtmaster (Ocean) Examiner in the 1990s. He spent many years thereafter examining skippers for sailing schools and for JSASTC.
Post retirement, Mike spent practical hands-on time in various East Coast boatyards retraining as a Yacht Surveyor, a role he still continues.
Mike has covered many ocean miles on solo or shorthanded long-distance voyages covering all of the British Isles, most of W Europe from the Canaries to the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. When not sailing, Mike is also a (keen but slow and wobbly) long distance touring and off-road cyclist/explorer both in UK and abroad.
E. Mike.Buggy@hornetservicessailing.org.uk
Last updated 11:54 on 21 January 2026